To western woods : the Breckinridge family moves to Kentucky in 1793 /

In this account of the John Breckinridge family's migration to Kentucky in 1793, Dicken-Garcia attempts three things: a general discussion of western migration in the years following the American Revolution; an examination of "communication facilities" how one learned of the West and related one's own news of it; and, most important, a detailed analysis of one family's participation in both the communication infrastructure and emigration to Kentucky. As a work relating to the history of the West, the book is quite good. It gives an exhaustive assessment of the personal motives, expectations, fears, and experiences of one family of migrants and thus personalizes the early Westward movement. Along the way it more generally treats the problems facing early Kentucky: statehood, Mississippi River navigation, and Indian hostility. Less satisfactory is the coverage of "communication facilities." Such things as the infrequency of mail service seem obvious, and their inclusion appears forced. But as Western history, the book is excellent, and is recommended for purchase by those libraries with strong collections in the field. Upper-division undergraduates and above.-H. R. King, Eastern Michigan University